About the Anniversary

In 2017, the College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) is celebrating a true milestone: 250 years of pioneering medical education, research, patient care, and community service at Columbia University.

P&S has been at the vanguard of medicine from our start, which pre-dates the American Revolution. We were the first institution in the American colonies to confer the Doctor of Medicine degree, and we have continued to lead the nation all the way up through the modern era of genomics and evidence-based care. P&S is among the best medical schools in the country and a thriving enterprise of health science innovation. Generations of medical and scientific leaders trained here have developed lifesaving new therapies and driven clinical advancement through their discoveries, for the benefit of patients in our community, nation, and world. Today, we have a vision to become a "debt-free" school for our medical students, eliminating need-based loans and providing all financial aid through scholarships.

This anniversary is an unprecedented opportunity for us to honor the distinguished history of P&S over the past 250 years. It is also an occasion to pay tribute to those who will ensure our enduring leadership for the next 250 years: our community of dedicated P&S alumni, faculty, students, staff, and friends. Our deepest gratitude is extended especially to the members of our Anniversary Steering Committee.

Starting in January 2017 and continuing throughout the year, P&S will host a number of anniversary-related programs to showcase our history and innovations. We look forward to a year of celebration, and we hope you will join us. We also invite all members of the P&S community to share memories and stories in the P&S Scrapbook on this website, and to participate in our anniversary conversation on social media at #ColumbiaPS250.

Since its founding, P&S has relied on the generosity of alumni, faculty, and friends to advance medicine and achieve our ambitious goals. Visit our Giving page to learn more about our anniversary fundraising opportunities, including high-impact scholarship support for our current and future students.

We will be updating the content on this site regularly, so please check back often. We also welcome your comments and suggestions. Contact us with your ideas at ps250anniversary@cumc.columbia.edu. For more information about scholarship support, please contact Laura Tenenbaum, Senior Director of Development, at LRT2113@columbia.edu or (212) 342-2108.

Welcome to our celebration of 250 years of trailblazing accomplishments at P&S! It is no exaggeration to say that, at Columbia: